The Loki Paradox
by YnitOcelot
Summary: One moment changed and so did the future. The Doctor has to find just what that moment was and restore it to it's proper place. Rated T for safety, there may be swearing in later chapers.
1. London's Burning

Show: Doctor Who Professionals crossover

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the main characters. There I said it! Happy?

Characters: Bodie, Doyle, Cowley, The 10th Doctor and a few more.

Set: During the first series of the Professionals before 'Everest Was Also Conquered' and after 'Close Quarters'. Also between 'Last of the Time Lords' and 'Voyage of the Dammed'

Summery: One moment changed and so did the future. The Doctor has to find just what that moment was and restore it to it's proper place.

Author's note: I'm sorry if it's a bit unbelievable but hey, it was fun to write.

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TARDISTARDISTARDISTARDIS

The TARDIS clanked and wheezed as they fell through space. The Doctor fought with the console as sparks flashed in the semi-darkness and smoke billowed around him.

"Oh no you don't!" He cried and whacked the panel with his shoe. The ship continued to spiral through space and time not even noticing that it had been hit. The Doctor threw himself across the controls and punched the buttons until the creaky sounds of materialization echoed through the room. "That's better, what got into you?" Understandably there was no reply. "Where are we?" He wondered aloud, he ran over to the computer screen hanging precariously from its stand. Running a hand through his spiky brown hair he peered at the screen.

"London, 2010!" He liked London, it was full of hustle and bustle and there was always something going on. He raced over to the hat stand and snatched his coat off it with a flourish. Unfortunately it also meant that he knocked it over and the clatter rang through the control room. "Oops!" Always in a rush, more haste less speed and all that. As he crouched down to pick it up the room shook.

The sensation was like a miniature earthquake; the supports shuddered and cracked; debris that the Doctor _knew_ he should've cleaned out came tumbling down around him. He curled up in a ball under the meagre protection of one of the twisty things that held up his roof until the shockwave passed. Slowly he uncurled himself. What had happened? Then he jumped up and sprinted to the door while the TARDIS repaired herself behind him.

No longer grinning he flung them open and stopped dead at the sight that met his eyes.

There was no London. The Doctor fell back into the TARDIS, he couldn't believe it. He felt a rush of fear, what could have done this? The grating dematerialisation sounds echoed and faded with the brilliant blue box. All that was left was smoke curling into the black radioactive sky above the still and silent London.

CI5CI5CI5CI5

It started like an average day for George Cowley. However it didn't stay that way.

Small niggles were haunting the back of his mind and kept popping up at the most inappropriate moments. First of all when he was signing the expense chits he got to the end and found himself reaching for another one. He had the strangest feeling that he had to sign one or two more. Then he remembered; he had slipped into thinking that Bodie was still alive.

Poor lad, he had only been following orders but Murphy hadn't gotten in fast enough. He had been shot dead. He shook his head to clear it, it had been his orders and the man had followed them until the end. He had a girl too, he'd had to go and explain to her what had happened. No next of kin to inform. Cowley swallowed, there were still feelings of guilt lurking inside him but there was nothing he could've done.

That would explain the strange slip-ups, but Cowley still found himself – for example – when he was briefing the agents expecting to see more people than there actually was. It had happened three months ago! Or when he sent Bodie to his death he'd called Murphy 'Doyle'. Who was Doyle? He shrugged inwardly and checked the clock. Maybe he needed an early night. However it was nearly eleven o'clock when he finally dragged himself home with vague worries scratching at his mind.

TARDISTARDISTARDISTARDIS

"Nothing!" the Doctor flung another old book away, before proceeding to the next one. The TARDIS was being strangely unresponsive but the Doctor was closer to finding the answer than he realised! With a distracted and frustrated sigh he checked through the shelves again. They were all neatly categorised in alphabetical order which was hampering his search somewhat. Suddenly he had an idea! He sprinted to an ancient-looking computer, (a gift, so he couldn't really get rid of it could he?) he'd planned to someday but he'd never thought of the thing as useful so he'd hooked it up to the library and left it. If he tried anything with it, it would probably explode. Now… hurriedly he stabbed at the cobwebby buttons and watched as the shelves blurred and the books rearranged themselves by year. As they became clear so did the date. "Oh..."


	2. Worlds Collide

CI5CI5CI5CI5

Cowley sank heavily into his sofa and poured himself a generous helping of Scotch. He needed to relax. The fire was roaring sending light dancing across the darkened room. He felt himself loosen, the atmosphere was quiet and the smell and crackle of the wood drifted past him. Smiling to himself he glanced around the room, his eyes taking in every little detail, just something to keep his hand in. His gaze alighted on his mantelpiece and the calm reflection was shattered.

His mind was really kicking at him, screaming. There was something he'd forgotten. No, someone. He screwed his eyes shut in desperation – not to try and remember but to shut out the pulsating painful sensation which grew and grew until he thought that his head might burst. A gasp escaped him and the feeling disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived.

Cautiously he opened his eyes and tried to see what he had that caused so much distress. A silvery cube was sitting innocently on the ledge above his fire. Cowley strode over and picked it up. It was about the size of his palm, intricate lines spanned each of the sixteen sides in a faded emerald shade creating a miniature labyrinth. It certainly hadn't been bought by him; Cowley was a practical man and his room echoed this. As he tossed it up and caught it again he realised how light it was. Then he recalled the incident. A lanky man with spiky hair had shoved this into his hand and told him to look after it before disappearing rapidly around a corner. In the manner of a Scot, he had. Carefully he placed it back on the shelf, it looked wrong, distorted without being warped; he just couldn't put his finger on whatever that was troubling him. With a sigh he headed to the kitchen.

TARDISTARDISTARDISTARDIS

The Doctor was racing around the control panel trying to keep the ship from smashing out of the time vortex and into the Void.

"C'mon, c'mon girl!" he muttered as he flipped levers and spun controls. "Follow the track, follow the track," The wheezing intensified as the Doctor fought with his spaceship, bringing her to a creaking grinding halt. "What's up with you?" he wondered aloud.

CI5TARDISCI5TARDIS

Cowley was woken from his doze by a clatter and quiet;

"Oops" Carefully, he stood, and crept to the door adjoining to the living room. _Intruder_. Silently he lifted his gun from the desk and cocked it. The trespasser didn't appear to have heard it. With the merest hint of a limp he stole with almost cat-like stealth up behind the tall figure who seemed rather preoccupied with a strange buzzing pen-torch-thing that he was scanning around the room. Cowley decided to make his move.

"Turn around slowly and raise your hands above your head." The voice that terrified soldiers and agents alike was enough to freeze the shadow that then did as he was bidden. Cowley switched on the light.

The man was skinny and tall, his brown spiky hair flopped as he turned. Sheepishly he lowered his device. "Who are you?" The man held up a wallet.

"I'm the Doctor and we're in big trouble."


	3. Timelines Explained

"What sort of trouble laddie?" The Doctor took a breath and said;

"We're talking rips in the space-time continuum – and can you lower the gun please? I really don't like having guns pointed at me. Or anyone."

"Neither do I," Cowley slowly lowered the weapon but kept it at the ready. This man wasn't making any sense, rips in the space-time continuum? What the hell was that? However the Doctor (or however he was) had launched into a detailed and confusing explanation.

"Thank you, as I was saying, there's a hole in the space-time continuum, this isn't the right timeline. Something happens in 1978 that shouldn't, I've been following this –"He held up his other hand which was clutching a small round whirring device shaped like a telephone with three antennas. "It's a Quantum-Reorganizer Tracking device, which is a really stupid name because it has nothing to do with quantum or reorganizing things. Slow day, never thought it could come in handy." He spotted Cowley's look of bemusement and added hastily: "It bleeps when it detects… stuff. And cats. It hates cats. You don't have a cat do you?"

"What? No, but what stuff?"

"I don't actually know what the stuff is." He stopped and grinned. "Brilliant, something I don't know. I love not knowing stuff. Makes me bouncy." Cowley was aware that his mouth was hanging open. Covering it quickly he asked;

"And what are you doing in my apartment?" The man looked up at him.

"I was following this, the trail runs right through here and - what's this?" He snatched the cube off the shelf. He spun it round in his hand. "Ooh, that's funny… This is a Grade Z Memory Cube also known as a Z Cube. These things are incredibly rare! I can't get hold of one. Maybe I shouldn't have had that argument with Roswell… Why do you have a Z Cube in your living room? Where did you get it?" Cowley scrutinized the intruder and then something clicked.

"Hold on a minute, you look a lot like the man who gave it to me!" The Doctor frowned,

"What? I don't remember, might've been, I could not have given to you yet, but why would I?" He started pacing around the room distractedly, ramming his hand into his spiky hair. "C'mon, c'mon. Think, think! That's the trouble with time travel, you see, don't why you do stuff until you do. Did he – I say anything?"

"Look after it. Time travel? That doesn't exist!" The Doctor didn't answer, he was still muttering to himself.

"Why did I give it to you? Memories, remember." Suddenly his head snapped round. "Wait a sec!" He cried. "You're George Cowley!"

Cowley was slightly taken aback.

"Yes, that's my name."

"Wow, CI5. George Cowley. Hold on, are your best agents Bodie and Doyle?"

"No. I don't know who Doyle is and Bodie was killed in action a few months ago." The Doctor stared at him.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Sure that he died?! Yes! I saw him! I watched him!"

"That's what's different!" The Doctor was racing around like a manic puppy. "Of course that explains it!" Cowley had had enough.

"Start talking Doctor. Explain to me what the hell is going on!" The young man's seriousness showed in his voice.

"Listen. Something happens this year that shouldn't. I've traced it to your organization. In the other timeline, the right timeline, William Bodie and Raymond Doyle, they're your best agents. Here they're not. They're missing. Something changed the timelines. I don't know what or – or how. They stop something terrible from happening. Sometime soon. I don't know the exact date but they're supposed to stop it." The Doctor paused.

"What did they stop?" Cowley's guarded apprehension was clear in his voice. The Doctor shook his head. The charred remains of London flashed behind his eyes. A headline appeared in his head. The ripples of the change had reached him, lapping at his mind.

He whispered. "March 1978, a nuclear bomb obliterates London."

The Doctor sprinted out of the flat followed by Cowley. What he next saw made him blink in surprise. A blue box – a police box – was standing in the hallway, it hadn't been there before, he was sure of it.

"What's that?"

"Oh, that's the TARDIS. Stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It's my ship. Are you sure you don't remember anything? It would make my job so much easier." Cowley frowned.

"I know Bodie; he died on the 19th December, last year. Shot. Following my orders." Cowley shook his head. "William Andrew Phillip Bodie."

"WAP Bodie got it."

"Doyle. Doyle." Cowley pursed his lips racking his brain. "I've heard the name. Somewhere. A report, a police investigation I think." The Doctor eyed him quizzically.

"Police? Great, go with that, I need to go." He rushed into the box.

"Go where?" The head of CI5 called after him. He couldn't be sure of what was shouted back; as his eyes took in the impossible vision of a disappearing blue box, but it sounded like;

"18th December 1977!"


	4. 18th December

Apologies for the lateness of this update; I kind of forgot about this story as I thought no one was interested. Thanks to everyone who proved me wrong and I hope it'll get better. Apologies also for the shortness of the chapters.

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CI5TARDISCI5TARDIS

Sunday 18th December 7:38pm

Bodie couldn't shake the icy feeling that had followed him around all day. It was almost like some joker was continually walking over his grave. He gritted his teeth and returned his attention to the punch bag hanging in the corner.

He was wondering if joining CI5 – _thwhack _– had been a mistake. While Murphy and the rest – _thwhack _– were pleasant enough colleagues he just felt – _thwhack _– that he couldn't really talk – _thwhack_ – to anyone. He was the tough no-nonsense – _thwhack_– one, either chatting up the ladies or drinking everyone else – _thwhack_ – under the table but he didn't really trust – _thwhackthwhack_ – any of them. Not even his partner – suddenly he stopped. The stupid little shiver tingled up his spine again and Bodie stiffened. He had been pushing it away in front of everyone else but here, alone, he couldn't ignore it. Bodie was slightly more superstitious than he liked to let on and somehow he thought it could only mean one thing. He was going to die. Soon.

Angrily he took another swipe at the bag which swung backwards on the chain.

"It's wrong." Startled, Bodie spun around so fast he almost fell over. Nothing moved in the warehouse, not even a skiff of dust to show a hidden enemy. Cautiously Bodie called out;

"Hello?" No answer. There wasn't really anywhere to hide and it hadn't sounded much like Macklin, or Towser for that matter. Who else would come here on a Sunday night? It was so eerily familiar; he knew he had heard it before. Where? Africa? Liverpool? London? He shook his head and turned back his training. Abruptly he heard the door open and steps echo on the floor.

"William Bodie?"

"Just Bodie," he spun round to see a gangly, spiky-haired blue-suited man enter the dusty room and stride across the floor until he was a meter or so away.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor, I'm new to CI5 and I'm wondering if you can help me with something very, very, VERY important." Bodie furrowed his brow and said;

"What?" Of all the agents he could've got to help he choose Bodie? Warily he regarded the man. He was a twig. He was taller than Bodie but Bodie felt that he would fall down if he was even slightly jostled. Desk job? The air of manic activity quickly overrode that.

"I said; hello I'm the Doc-"

"I heard you. What do you need help with?"

The Doctor shifted uneasily, realising he hadn't thought up a reply. He was felt if he started babbling on about the space-time-continuum and parallel universes or alternate dimensions this man might just sock him. He sensed the unease rolling off Bodie that coupled with a slightly depressed outlook on his situation made him hide himself away in the training warehouse. Also he had seen how hard he was hitting that punch bag.

"Uh," he started aware that Bodie was getting impatient. He flashed his psychic paper as a bit of a shield and continued. "Mr Cowley told me-"He never finished what he was going to say as something happened that either of them (least of all Bodie) did not expect.

It was the Doctor's cry of 'Look out!' that saved him. Bodie jerked around just as a small compacted beam of light arced across where he had been standing. He couldn't believe his eyes. A small vaguely humanoid creature was advancing on the pair. They hadn't heard it enter. It was a light brown-pink colour, the face looked drawn back with some nasty teeth, three tentacles extended from it's head and it was carrying what Bodie assumed was a weapon. It raised it again and pressed the button, but this time Bodie was quicker, he leaped out of the way and fumbled for his gun. Before he could draw it however, the Doctor whipped out a slim silver pen-ish device and pointed it at the creature. The weapon in the being's hand sparked and died. It gave a shriek of outrage and immediately stabbed at a button on its waist. Nothing happened.

"I wouldn't bother." The Doctor informed it, his hand pushing Bodie's gun away. "I've knocked out the teleport. Pretty handy thing, a sonic screwdriver." He spun the screwdriver between his fingers before adding to a bemused Bodie. "I don't like guns so put that away." Bodie scowled at him and reluctantly lowered it.

"What is that?" He asked in a voice full of disgust. The creature drew itself up and replied in a scratchy tone;

"Graske!"

"What the hell's a Graske!" The Doctor pointed at the defiant creature.

"That." He took a step closer to the Graske and continued. "It's an alien from the planet Griffoth, it causes trouble wherever it goes, stealing humans and replacing them with duplicates. Although… the last time someone I know met one it was working for someone else." With a sharp manner he addressed the Graske. "Who are you working for? Why are you trying to take him?" He jabbed a finger in Bodie's direction. Bodie's head spun, _take him?!_ For a minute it continued a sullen silence before answering;

"His friend might want company."

"Whoa, whoa, his friend? What do you mean?" The Graske remained stubbornly uncommunicative as the Doctor walked towards it firing question after question.

Suddenly Bodie's ears caught a high pitched whirr, the Graske's face changed by only a millimetre but it was enough for Bodie to realise what had caused his glee.

"Doctor!" he yelled as he jumped sideways all-but dragging the Doctor with him. The light flashed out again and the Doctor was bringing the sonic screwdriver out it vanished in a beam of white light.

"Oh no, no, no!" The Doctor shook himself free of Bodie's grasp and raced over to where it had been. He bent over the spot and started running the sonic over it, it emitted a buzzing sound and a blue light but evidently the Doctor didn't find what he was looking for. He straightened up again and spun round with a determined look on his face.

"Quick!" he ordered, and sprinted out the door. Bodie followed him out into the dark of the winter evening to see the Doctor stop in front of a large blue box standing on the pavement a few inches away from his car.

"It's a police box, how the hell did that get there?" He exclaimed loudly. The Doctor didn't turn around, just called back.

"It's the TARDIS, c'mon!" He looked over his shoulder as he pulled the door open. "I can't exactly leave you here, not with that coming after you; at least you'll be safe in here. Well, safer anyway." Not entirely reassured Bodie followed him inside the box.


	5. Trouble in Time

Thanks to everyone reading this and to Qalam for reviewing!

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CI5TARDISCI5TARDIS

Bodie's jaw dropped.

"It's…"

"Bigger on the inside I know," The Doctor bounded around the control panel, he glanced up, "close your mouth, you'll be catching flies in a minute." Bodie did so but continued staring in disbelief at the impossible ship. Finally he shrugged dejectedly and muttered;

"I knew it. I've gone mad." The Doctor gave him an appraising look.

"Nah, but I do need your help, I can't track down that Graske alone cause I've only got two eyes and I'm gonna need at least four. Hold on!" The TARDIS shuddered and then the worryingly creaking graunch filled the air. Immediately Bodie clutched at the railing for support. The console clicked and flashed as the Doctor sprinted from one end to the other hitting buttons and yanking on levers.

"Are you a bad driver or is this normal?" Bodie shouted over the mayhem.

"I take offence at that, I'm a fantastic driver!" He flicked his hair out of his eyes and yelled back, "Ok, usually it's not this bad but _usually_ I've actually got control of her!" Bodie pushed himself off the rail and grabbed at the panel desperately. Suddenly the noise slowed and came to a stand-still. The agent let out a long relieved breath.

"So what do you need help with?"

CI5TARDISCI5TARDIS

Bodie sat in numb silence as he listened to the Doctor's grim report of the future. The Doctor was pacing distractedly while he delivered the mind-blowing news. After all that had happened the last half-hour or so he was willing to believe anything.

The Doctor on the other hand was getting more and more anxious. He had deliberately held back the facts about Bodie's death; he didn't want to panic anyone.

"You spoke to Cowley about this?" Bodie sounded incredulous but the Doctor just nodded.

"Now to the heart of the matter, do you know someone called Ray Doyle?"

"The Bionic Golliwog?" Bodie jumped and put his hand over his mouth. Where had _that_ burst out from? The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"You do?"

"No – no, I've never… met anyone by that name…" The Doctor swung round.

"Tell me something else, the first thing that comes into your head." Bodie stared at him in confusion. "Anything!" He shook his head.

"Nothing," A disappointed look passed across the Doctor's face. He just watched Bodie with the air of expectation. When Bodie had spoken it had echoed as if there were two voices…

CI5CI5CI5CI5

Cowley rubbed his eyes and carelessly flicked the page over. He must have been through twenty or thirty police reports by now and he hadn't come across a single 'Ray Doyle'. Oh, plenty of 'Ray's or 'Raymond's but none that matched the specific name the Doctor had mentioned. Tiredly he fiddled with his tie and finished the page. The head of CI5 glanced up at the clock. Four am. He must be mad, trying to find one name among scores of reports in the wee hours. But the Doctor had made it sound important, a nuclear apocalypse in London was pretty important. Sighing he returned his attention back to the paper littering his desk. He couldn't even ask any other agent to help; at least he couldn't tell them why, they would have him carted off to an insane asylum. He dropped his scrutiny back to the meticulously written reports.

Suddenly a word caught his eye, his gaze dragged back to the start of the sentence, rereading it twice. There. He'd found it. Cowley sat back and ran a hand through his thinning hair. He had the information. Writing the name carefully down on the sheet the chief of CI5 reached for his glasses.

TARDISCI5TARDISCI5

Bodie lounged uncomfortably on the chair watching the Doctor pace around the control room muttering to himself (or to the TARDIS, Bodie wasn't sure which).

"What is wrong with you? You're never this… unresponsive!" About this time the agent was seriously worrying about his new acquaintance's health. He kept his eye on the man as he experimentally forced levers and twisted futuristic-looking dials. Finally he decided to remind the Doctor of his existence. Bodie did not like waiting around.

"Are we stuck then?" The Doctor jumped and Bodie felt a twinge of annoyance. He pushed his hand through his spiky hair and answered;

"Er… yes, before you say anything I don't know why. It's like the TARDIS doesn't want to move!" Bodie rolled his eyes. Could his day get any worse? Here he was, stuck in the 'Time Vortex' in a frozen time machine with a half-mad bloke who was following an alien which tried to kidnap him all to prevent London being destroyed by an atomic bomb. He definitely hadn't expected this when he'd joined CI5.

Bodie realised that the Doctor was dialling numbers on a battered phone hanging off the console.

"Phoning for the spaceman pickup ship?" He asked rather peevishly. The Doctor just gave him a scornful look.

"That would be silly."

"Then who are you phoning?"

"Your boss."

CI5CI5CI5CI5

The trilling of the phone interrupted Cowley's thoughts. The weak mid-afternoon sun glinted off the silver edging when he picked it up.

"Er hello! It's the Doctor," Cowley rubbed his ear reproachfully.

"You don't have to shout. Besides, how did you get this number?"

"That's not important, what's important is that there's a Graske on the loose –"

"A what?"

"A Graske, if you see a little humanoid pink thing with tentacles, just run." Cowley rubbed his ear again. He was possibly going a bit deaf but before he had time to ask again the Doctor was babbling;

"I'm still not sure where the break in time is but from what I've gathered it's sometime in the early 1970's." That set off alarm bells in Cowley's head.

"Like 1971?"

"Yes," he answered slightly confused, "What?"

"I found Raymond Doyle."

"Brilliant!"

"He's dead." Inside the TARDIS the Doctor's face fell.

"What?" On the other end Bodie asked;

"What?" The Doctor motioned at him to be quiet.

"He was on duty with another police officer, Syd Parker. They were searching for a man named Hayden. Doyle found him first. He was shot. Syd's now a member of CI5." He frowned.

"Right, thanks. Speak to him willya please? Bye!" The phone call ended with a bemused Cowley staring down at it.

"Betty," he called, "get Parker in here please…"

TARDISCI5TARDICI5

Abruptly a bell started ringing. The sounds echoed warningly off the walls. The Doctor's face drained of colour.

"What's going on?" Bodie yelled.

"The Cloister Bell!"

"The WHAT?!"

"It means we're in big trouble!" The Doctor rushed to the screen and glared at it. "Hold on!" Bodie wasn't' sure if he should take this literally or not. He opted for gripping the rail. "Something's coming through!"

A huge pain erupted in Bodie's head. It felt as if something was straining to get out – or maybe in. "Bodie!" He sank to his knees as the Cloister Bell continued its incessant chimes…

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Where's the break in time? What's happening to Bodie? Stick with me... it should get better!


	6. Mystery Deepens

CI5CI5CI5CI5

So far the afterlife was proving to be a bit of a disappointment. Doyle uncrossed his legs and gazed warily around. The room hadn't changed from his last check; it was still just… white. A big white space surrounded him. If there was some omnipresent being up there He (or She) could've made a bit more of an effort.

But Doyle was only about 90% sure he was dead, he certainly didn't remember dying but he assumed that he wouldn't, however, he didn't seem to be hungry or thirsty or have any pressing need to go to the toilet or anything that humans do within the course of their lives. If he was detained for any reason his captor usually neglected to provide any toilet facilities, here it seemed the same. Maybe it was because the dead don't need the toilet he mused.

He decided to move his thoughts away from bodily functions and return to trying to make his mind up what state he was in. His last memory was joking around with Bodie after a few pints down at his local; had he been hit by a car? He didn't think so. Without realising it he had taken to pacing, it wasn't until he suddenly found himself unable to take another step forward that he noticed. He glanced around in a panic – saw nothing and then shakily backed away. Taking a few deep breaths he reached out his hand to find it struck with the same affliction. It was like there was a wall but he couldn't feel anything under his flat palm. Carefully Doyle traced the invisible not-there barrier in a full circle. Doyle exhaled unsteadily. He was caught like a rat in a trap – and he didn't like the feeling one bit. As he fiddled with his numb hand he glanced at his watch. It took him a few seconds to work out what was bothering him. The clock hands remained stubbornly immobile.

"Where the hell am I?" He wondered aloud. He was quite shocked however as a voice answered him.

"I was wondering when you would ask that; it usually doesn't take as long." Doyle flailed around searching for the speaker. The voice was deep and gravelly and breathy, not something he had ever heard before. Then he saw it. It was swathed in a deep black cloak, the face hidden beneath the cowl.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"I am the Trickster and this – is my domain."

CI5TARDISCI5TARDIS

"Bodie!" The Doctor performed a very impressive leap over the railing, landing beside the doubled over agent. Bodie's head felt like it was going to explode, the pain was unbearable. He uttered a brief moan as the Doctor whipped out the sonic and then collapsed. "Bodie?" The Doctor gently shook his shoulder. There was no response. The Cloister bell chimed twice more and then stopped. The deafening silence enveloped the room like a sheet. The Doctor eased Bodie onto his side and then scurried up to the console. Whatever had tried to… get in (or out, he wasn't sure) seemed to have given up. Or so he hoped. It was going to be impossible to fight off a malevolent being inside the TARDIS with an unconscious man flat out on the floor. Shaking his head he checked the screen and – satisfied nothing was forcing its way in – returned to see what he could do for Bodie.

CI5CI5CI5CI5

"Ah, Parker, come in," Parker stopped by Cowley's desk and offered a half-grin; uncertain if he should be afraid or not. Cowley glanced up at him and turned on his charm. He was going to need it, especially as he was going to be questioning this man on his murdered partner.

"What is it sir?"

"Sit down Parker," Frowning, Parker slipped into the chair. Cowley took a deep breath and then asked; "Did you know a man named Ray Doyle?"

Syd Parker blanched. He opened and shut his mouth a few times, like a rather startled goldfish. Finally he stuttered,

"Yes – yes, he was my partner in the force; he – died seven years ago."_ Interesting_ thought Cowley, noting Parker's extreme reaction. "Why?"

"What happened?" Parker shrugged;

"We were checking this building for our suspect after he threatened the man inside, Ray… found him first. He was shot. He was just a kid really, in fact," his gaze took on an almost wistful expression, "he wanted to join CI5 sir, we were talking about it the night he died." Parker gave a small chuckle, "I promised him if we met a gang of international jewel thieves he could arrest them. I didn't want to be in CI5; not then." Cowley steepled his fingers and lent over the desk.

"Why did you change your mind?" Parker shrugged;

"Dunno; it just… seemed right… I felt that afterwards the police wasn't for me. I wanted to aspire to something better… I mean better that was waiting for me. I – I wanted to honour his memory."

Cowley sat back in his chair and considered the implications of his queries.

"If you don't mind," he said, "I'd like to ask a few more questions…"

TARDISCI5TARDISCI5

Bodie's eyes snapped open, startling the Doctor. He gazed warily at the agent, attempting to spot any signs of another inhabitant. The eyes were the same, but as he stood the Doctor realised he stood taller, more confidently. The eyes brightened, but as he watched they became harder and a look of cold determination crossed his face. There was the merest hint of a joker before the prowling tiger shone with a dark resolve.

"So," there was only one voice, "how are we going to rescue Doyle?"

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Still enjoying this? I hope you are! Please review!


	7. Explainations

CI5TARDISCI5TARDIS

The Doctor gaped at Bodie.

"What?" Bodie stared back at him.

"We need to rescue Doyle."

"What?!"

"Have you gone deaf?" The Doctor frowned at Bodie's vehement tone.

"No need for that," he said, "what I mean is how could you possibly remember him? How – how is that even possible?" Bodie shrugged – he didn't understand anything about space-time or parallel universes or any of that stuff. The Doctor bounded over and glared into his eyes. Slightly uncomfortably Bodie shifted but held his gaze while the Timelord inspected him. He thumbed the sonic and brought it up to Bodie's face. As the whirring device lit up scant centimetres from him he couldn't repress a short intake of breath.

The Doctor stepped back and shook his head in disbelief. It was Bodie in there. They wasn't any kind of intruder or alien being inhabiting that body, it was just Bodie.

"It can't…" he began, "that's not…" Bodie was getting tired of the delay. Doyle was in danger, he knew that in his bones, and the Doctor was wasting time with him!

"Look – what are you on about?" Suddenly realisation dawned, but not on Bodie. The Doctor sprinted up to the control panel and whooped;

"You clever girl! You brilliant, brilliant timemachine! Ha ha!" The agent gawked at him in silent amazement as he praised his machine. He spun round looking elated.

"She was siphoning off the extra power, that's why she wasn't moving! She recognised what we needed and she worked it out! It's brilliant!" He clicked his fingers and pointed at Bodie, "The Z Cube!"

"The what?"

"The Z Cube in Cowley's house! It saves memory; it saved Cowley's memories of the original timeline!" He glanced over Bodie's bewildered expression and hastily explained, "Look, a great big universe existing for four million years – give or take a few decades yeah? It takes a lot of power to wipe that out but snatches can… linger for a while, the Z Cube must have saved a few of the nearest ones, namely you and Doyle, so the TARDIS – she's brilliant, she really is – had found that data and," he slammed his hand into his hair a few times and then continued; "restored it. In you, you're Bodie from this world but you're also Bodie from the re- sorry - original time! That's why you can suddenly remember! Oh, this is fantastic!"

Bodie frowned, trying to take this all in. It wasn't helped by the Doctor hopping up and down manically.

"So you're saying there are… two of me, in one body?" He paled, "is that bad?" The Doctor inclined his head ruefully.

"Yeah, uh, kinda, you see the human body isn't really supposed to have more than one consciousness in at once. It gets a bit… crowded. But it won't be a problem because we'll get this all fixed before there can be any lasting damage."

"What kind of lasting damage?"

The Doctor ignored him and began throwing switches. The centre of the TARDIS started moving and the creaky hum filled the air.

"We are back in business!"

CI5CI5CI5CI5

Doyle was going stir-crazy. The…Trickster whoever – whatever – he was had left him alone in the barren white landscape presumably to stew. He was feeling slightly panicky as he couldn't see a way out of this. He was being held captive in some unknown place by a psycho-thing, and rescue or escape didn't seem possible. If it was even really happening. Slowly he sat down, pulled his knees up to his chest and began to think. _C'mon Bodie, where are you?_

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The grinding of the ship echoed and faded as the Doctor wrenched a final control. Bodie bounced up behind him.

"Do you know who's taken Doyle?" His tone was half-worried half-angry. "Was it the Griske-"

"Graske," he corrected, absently biting his lip and not turning around.

"Well?" When the Doctor didn't answer he demanded; "Is he in danger?"

"No – no, he won't be harmed," the manner with which he mumbled this only made the agent louder.

"Then do you know –"

"Doyle wasn't taken, Bodie… he was killed. He's dead." He glanced over his shoulder. Bodie was shocked. Furiously he rounded on the Timelord.

"You said he wasn't going to be harmed!"

"He won't!"

"But-"

"Listen!" The Doctor's face was sombre, he was only just realising what he had said. "He's now a bit like Schrödinger's Cat – hopefully without the box, poison, hammer or gas," he paused at Bodie's expression, "no, bad analogy, forget that – the point is that he's both alive and dead at the same time. He's in Limbo."

"What's that when it's at home?"

"It's a great big white place where the Trickster reigns."

"Who's the Trickster?" The Doctor shrugged and answered;

"A being in eternal exile, he and his… group feed off chaos – they change things, usually they're so small nobody notices but sometimes the consequences of the change cause disasters."

"Like London going up in flames?" Bodie asked.

"Exactly,"

"So how do we get Doyle out?" Bodie wasn't going to be deterred. The Doctor raised his spindly shoulders to the sky, his eyebrows swooping down.

"I don't know."


	8. Promises Made

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Doyle crouched at the edge of his prison attempting to lever at the invisible walls with his penknife. It didn't seem to be having an effect, but anything that felt like actually _doing_ something was good. At least that was what he was trying to convince himself. To be honest he didn't know what he was going to do if – _when_ he firmly corrected himself – he escaped. It was a huge expanse of white desert – except he didn't need to eat or drink of course – and he could be lost forever. Sighing he turned his attention back to the task in hand.

Suddenly the knife whipped out of his hands, hurtling through his cage to land three or so meters away. Shocked, he scrambled to his feet to be confronted by the Trickster.

"You thought a primitive knife could save you?" The tone was mocking. Doyle's eyes flicked from the abandoned blade to his captor suspiciously. How the hell had he done that? A more sobering notion seared into his head. The Trickster could've easily sent the knife into his skull.

"You never know," he retorted in the most infuriating way he knew. The creature didn't seem riled. Instead it remarked;

"What could possibly you hope to achieve? You are nothing, you are dead." Doyle's eyes narrowed but the Trickster wasn't finished. "Would you like to see how you died?"

Within a blink of an eye it was in front of him. Doyle raised his hands to defend himself but the Trickster grabbed him by the chin, wrenching his head up. Doyle staggered and then slumped with a quiet groan as the memory rushed into his head.

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The Doctor was brooding in the corner; his hair was a mess from his running his fingers through it in the hope of a plan. Suddenly Bodie asked;

"Why don't we just go back in time and pick up Ray before the incident even happens? This is a time machine right?" _Ray _the Doctor noticed. Bodie was getting desperate. He shook his head slowly and sighed.

"We can't."

"Why not?"

"It's a fixed point in time Bodie! We would possibly make things even worse; we'd be playing straight into the Trickster's hands." Bodie took a moment to digest this,

"How do you know?" he asked. The Doctor waved his hands dismissively.

"I just do. I'm clever but that's not the point. The point is that I can't just materialize in Limbo, it's out of reach, and I'd have to have a track or something to follow so I don't know how…" he paused and his hand suddenly flew to his pocket. "Oh, that's odd." Bodie favoured him with a quizzical look.

"What is?" he was ignored as the Doctor pulled out the wallet that until recently had held a CI5 ID. Now Bodie could see some writing in it. The Doctor checked it over and then tossed it to him.

"Know it?"

Hesitantly Bodie flipped open the case and gasped out loud. Scrawled in a recognisable hand were the words;

Help me

"That's Doyle's writing!" he exclaimed in shock as immediately a thousand horrible scenarios ignited inside his head. The Doctor however grinned.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! What's it doing to him?" The Doctor was up, stabbing buttons and heaving levers, the room suddenly brightened. He glanced over his shoulder at the agent.

"I don't know, but now we've got a chance!"

"We can rescue him?"

"'Course! I can follow the psychic link and use the energy to get us in! We won't have long before she'll fly herself out, maybe five, ten minutes, but that should be enough time to grab your friend and get out… c'mon and hold that-" he pointed to a juddering hump, "We need to get going –" he spotted Bodie worried expression, "it's Limbo," he explained, "nothing can be physically hurt there, he'll be fine."

"What about mentally?" Bodie asked aghast at products of his imagination.

"He'll be ok, I promise," the Doctor threw a switch and the distinctive vworp sprung from deep within the TARDIS. "I promise."


	9. Out of the Frying Pan

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The Doctor's face grew longer as they approached their destination. However Bodie was checking his firearm, readying himself. The Doctor glanced over and called;

"No point in bringing that," Bodie stopped, horrified.

"Why?"

"Won't work." Bodie groaned and asked;

"Do you mean that the plan won't work with it or it actually 'won't work'?" The Doctor shot him a disparaging look.

"No I mean it won't fire. Limbo renders weapons – automatics and guns and the like – useless. Besides, what would you shoot?" His tone when listing the weapons was mutinous but he suddenly brightened as reluctantly Bodie stowed it in a crevice near the door. "Right!" He bounded up and absently yanked on a lever and spun a flashing hedgehog thing. The TARDIS shuddered and Bodie grasped for the handrail.

"So what is the plan?" The Doctor glanced up briefly and said;

"Get in, grab your friend, and get out." Bodie rolled his eyes.

"Fantastic," he said, "you should write a book."

CI5CI5CI5CI5

Cowley poured himself a small tipple of Scotch. His interview with Parker had been interesting to say the least. Usually Cowley would have the suspect figured out by now but he'd asked Parker to get him some files so he could keep an eye on him. Right now he was wondering what the Doctor was doing and hoped that they were having better luck than he was. With a quick look to make sure he was alone he slid open his desk and checked out the Cube. He blinked. Was it his imagination or was it glowing? It looked so eerie. He shook his head and shut the drawer with a bang. He could feel it; the calm before the storm.

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The idiosyncratic grinding of the TARDIS began to ring through the room. Bodie gritted his teeth. He was going unarmed into an alien's lair with a madman for backup; he was understandably – to put it mildly – not very happy. But Ray Doyle was in there. Hurt? He didn't know. All he did know was that he was going to rescue him and bring them both home. Then they could sort out whatever mess they were in. He took a deep breath.

"Right!" the voice of the Doctor broke in on his thoughts. "When the TARDIS lands we have about five minutes to get in and rescue Doyle, then the TARDIS flies with or without us; preferably with. Ready?" Bodie nodded and flung open the doors.

White. The sheer infiniteness of the blank space was sufficient to stop Bodie in his tracks – but only for a moment. As the Doctor sprinted out towards the huddled shape the agent felt a surge of rage. He started running. He very quickly overtook the Doctor who suddenly yelled;

"Stop!"

It was lucky that Bodie half-turned so when he hit the invisible wall it was his shoulder that took the main damage rather than his nose. Scrambling to his feet he started battering at the barrier, searching for a way towards the recumbent Doyle. The Doctor materialised beside him and grabbed his arm.

"Look, you are not going to get through like that." He pulled a pair of lens-less glasses from his pocket and then pushed against the obstacle, before withdrawing, slowing curling and uncurling his hand, frowning.

"I don't think you'll get in with that either," Bodie growled, he was acutely aware that time was ticking. It seemed the Doctor was too. They had one chance and one chance only and he was as sure as hell he wasn't leaving without Doyle! He pressed harder as the Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver and buzzed the space experimentally. He let out a yell of triumph.

"I can open it!"

"How long?"

"Two minutes," Bodie glanced at the TARDIS. She was already flashing, ready to fly.

"You've got one!"

Hopping up and down, while keeping an eye on the prone body and on his surroundings Bodie waited anxiously for the Doctor to open up a hole big enough for him to get through, the invisible wall shimmered into reality, the space it enclosed wavering slightly so it looked more like glass. But although Bodie hammered and shouted his name Doyle didn't move. Abruptly the Doctor gave a surprised shout as he nearly fell through the hole he'd made. Bodie dived towards it, thrusting the Doctor out of his way ignoring his slight annoyed protest.

"Doyle? Ray!" Bodie heaved a sigh of relief to see that his friend was still breathing. Quickly he checked his pulse – regular. "Alright Ray, you can get up now."

"Hurry up!" The Doctor shouted, "As you may remember we are on a time limit!" Bodie was still shaking Doyle, figuring that the rescuee being awake would be much easier for them. The Doctor slipped through the hole and dragged the comatose agent upright. Bodie immediately draped the limp arm over his shoulder as Doyle listed dangerously to the left.

"Go!" For some inexplicable reason Doyle was steadily getting heavier. The _vworp-vworp _of the TARDIS began to ring through Limbo and the two men doing their best to support their colleague and run for it at the same time groaned in unison. The Doctor glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened.

"What?"

"Keep going!" As he ordered this he pointed the sonic behind him, there was the sound of something sparking and fizzing but Bodie didn't look; instead focusing on the blurring doors. With a final grunt the pair flung Doyle inside and then threw themselves into the spaceship as they slammed shut.

"Mission accomplished," The Doctor gasped.

TARDISCI5TARDISCI5

The Doctor crouched over Doyle, scanning him with his screwdriver. Bodie shivered at the buzzing, wondering just what the Doctor was looking for. Finally he sat back on his hunches and took off his glasses.

"It's an induced coma; he obviously infuriated someone."

"He's good at that," Bodie muttered, "but what's…" The alien looked up at him and shrugged helplessly.

"I'm not sure; it _looks_ like he's… trapped? In a dreamworld?" He didn't express what he felt; the Trickster played with timelines and memories and in a job like CI5 some of those wouldn't exactly be things you would want to remember… not to mention that Doyle was dead in this world. He glanced up at Bodie and then down at his patient.

_It was dark and cold. Doyle struggled in a raging torrent of his life, reliving every horror he had ever experienced; he felt like he was drowning, he knew there was air and life somewhere but he was lost, inevitably seeing his murder over…and over… he couldn't call out, he couldn't escape… suddenly a voice broke over the roaring sea of his past mistakes._

'Come on Ray, wake up you stupid bugger, I've not just saved your sorry butt so you can get some beauty sleep!'

_Bodie. He heard the underlying concern. That wasn't in his head… he struck out, onwards and upwards towards the voice, towards the light…_

His painful and sudden return to awareness was accompanied by a gasp of air that made both men start. He rolled over onto his side and coughed a few times, attempting futilely to slow his heart rate while spitting a long stream of expletives.

"Wha' the hell happened?" He finally choked out. Bodie practically jumped for joy.

"Welcome back mate, you had us worried for a minute there." Blearily Doyle stared at him as he uncurled into a sitting position.

"Us?" he queried. The Doctor waved.

"Er, yes, hello, I'm the Doctor, this is the TARDIS and let's get going shall we?" He bounded back to the controls and began twisting and prodding them. Doyle stared at his surroundings in amazement.

"Ok… this is a definite improvement."


	10. And Back Into Limbo

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A blue box materializing in your office is not something that happens every day. Parker leapt to his feet in astonishment; files and papers spilling off his chair. His hand crept to his gun. Cowley noticed this and ordered in the sternest tone possible.

"Put it down 7.2." Parker did a double take, staring in disbelief at his boss.

"What?" As though the universe just decided to confound him further the doors to the TARDIS opened and the Doctor stepped out.

"Doctor?" The Doctor looked at him in uncertainty for a moment before realising.

"Oh, don't worry, I've got both your men – they're fine and dandy, excluding headaches – but we need to work fast, the Trickster will be on our trail quicker than you can say Jack Robinson. Actually, nobody mention Jack Robinson. They always seem to appear when you say that."

He bounded past Parker, who gaped at this serious be-suited stranger, and then snatched up some of the files. "Ooh,"

"Who are you?" Parker demanded. The Doctor slipped on his glasses.

"I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor of what?!"

"Everything."

At that moment Bodie and Doyle stumbled from the impossible box, and Parker went a deathly shade of grey. Doyle stood easily; regarding his former partner with something akin to confused interest.

"What the…" Syd began, his eyes flicking uneasily back and forth. "But… you're…" Doyle was older than when he'd last seen him about five years ago. He frowned. Doyle regarded him warily – he couldn't say why but he felt almost defenceless but a tiny flame of joy was flickering. Syd was alive! He was…here but;

"At what price?" Everyone was staring at him. "At what price?" he repeated unsurely. The Doctor carefully placed the papers on the desk and shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm so sorry, but the price…" he glanced over at Parker. Bodie didn't understand;

"What price?" he asked, scared of what the answer would be. The Doctor ducked his head and refused to meet the pair's gaze.

"Where there is death there must always be death." He quoted softly. Then his head came up and he glared at Parker, "you made a deal."

"A deal with whom? The Devil?" Cowley demanded. The Doctor's answer simmered with quiet frustration.

"Wrong demon."

"I haven't made any kind of deal with anyone!" Parker protested.

"What is going on?" Cowley asked and Bodie echoed this confusion. Even Doyle seemed unsure. The Doctor pointed an accusing finger at Parker.

"It showed you didn't it? Offered a future? Yeah, stupid, selfish human and you had to take it!"

"I didn't know!" Shocked at the sudden change in Parker's face Doyle took an involuntary step back, alarmed at this side of his mentor that he'd never seen before.

"You didn't just sign over your own soul – you condemned your own partner to death!" The Doctor yelled.

Bodie moved unconsciously in front of Doyle, sheltering him from Parker. He had only just rescued his friend and was not going to let fate snatch him away again. He glowered at the agent; ready to anticipate any move he could make to hurt anyone in the room, however Parker just seemed lost and nervous – not entirely sure of himself.

"What do you mean?" Doyle asked; the Doctor didn't turn around.

"He killed you. That's what the Trickster does. He offers a chance of change. Syd Parker died in the original time. But he made a deal. He thought he could save himself. One choice…"

"One choice I was happy to help make." The voice came out of nowhere. Doyle shut his eyes in apprehension.

"Jack Robinson," he muttered.

The earthquake hit so hard that the whole world blurred as if they were caught in a giant's snowglobe. Everyone was tossed about by the violent tremors that gripped them. The Doctor grabbed his sonic screwdriver and the blue light shone off his face. The buzzing only highlighted the sharp focus of the attack. Through his limited vision Bodie saw the Trickster rise behind Doyle.

"Ray!" Doyle twisted and tried to scramble away but it seized his shoulder. Doyle screamed as the thin hand compressed about the bone. Bodie flung himself forwards. Doyle's form began to evaporate, slowly, fading, becoming transparent, and he stretched out a desperate hand towards his friend.

"Bodie!" He was too late. His hand passed through Doyle's as the Trickster wrenched him away to God knew where. The last thing he saw was Doyle panicked face.

"No!" Behind the windows the bright emptiness of Limbo began to leak through. "No…"


	11. Hide and Seek

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The world stilled. Cowley hoisted himself upright, ignoring the stab from his leg. The Doctor was already up and glancing around. Bodie was still staring at the space that Doyle had recently occupied. Shakily he pulled himself to his feet, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"He took Ray." He was holding down his rage and shame but he knew at any moment it could spill over. Anger was good – at least some of the time – but he needed to have a clear head. Brute force might not be sufficient to stop the Trickster but it was a start.

"Parker too." Cowley added.

"Why?"

"He doesn't want us to figure it out; they're the keystones to his entire plan. We could bring it tumbling about his ears – if he had ears that is."

"Then where are they?" Bodie growled. The Doctor bit his lip and answered quietly.

"I don't know."

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As they reappeared the Trickster shoved his prisoner away in disgust. Doyle was sent rolling across the floor before coming to a stop on the hard edge of the desk. Winded, he struggled up and glared at the Trickster.

"Where's everyone else?" Parker asked tensely. The Trickster didn't answer and Doyle cast his eye about the room. It looked exactly the same as the office they had just left and – his ribs hastily attesting – felt just as real. Fighting down the urge to vomit he slithered around so the desk was between him and the Trickster. Parker was also backing away, still demanding answers.

"Where are we?"

"Limbo." Doyle gasped resentfully. "Parker listen-"The Trickster moved; but Doyle had learnt his lesson. He ducked under the Trickster's grasp, knocking the chair behind him. He heard Parker shout something but he didn't listen. Doyle ran.

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The Doctor was running his sonic screwdriver around the room; his hair getting more and more mussed-up as he failed to locate the missing agents. With a grunt of frustration he stuffed the device back into his pocket. Cowley was watching him with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" his burr becoming more and more evident with each word. The Doctor's respect for the old boss suddenly increased dramatically. He was nervous but was hiding it behind a gruff façade, calmly and logically thinking of a way to escape.

"There's something; I can't work out the signals. It's like; if you're searching through the files and you keep finding references but you can't find the actual report? I'm getting snatches of them but..."

"Will they be alright?"

"Hopefully," Cowley suddenly noticed the quietness of the room. Frowning he turned his head and surveyed the room. With a jolt he realised what he had missed.

"Bodie? Bodie!" He was gone.

The bright whiteness spilling through the windows added a nightmarish sense to Bodie's search. The building was curiously devoid of life; the usual bustle of agents gone. Bodie could only hope that Doyle was still here and it was a hope that he clung to. There was a clatter from behind him and he spun; arms raised– ready for combat. Nothing. Cautiously he crept forwards, his hands going to his holster to find just empty air. He cursed. He began his hunt again, ears pricked for any unusual noises.

He had just turned a corner when a flash of brown caught his eye. He spun around; searching for what he had glimpsed.

"Ray?"

Doyle skidded to a stop, his eyes darting around the corridor. He could've sworn that he'd just seen Bodie. He blinked. With a furtive glance over his shoulder he moved on when – again! Ok, either he was going mad (a definite possibility) or… he was going mad. Then he had an idea. Tilting his head he began counting under his breath.

He got to sixty when he saw the merest instant of Bodie moving up the corridor. He grinned; maybe he wasn't as far away as he had thought…

The sound of running feet startled Bodie and he whirled around to face his pursuer.

"Look, look, just me!" Bodie stopped his punch scarce inches from the Doctor's face. He slowly lowered his fist and the Doctor noticed his rather preoccupied expression. "What?"

"I think I just saw Doyle," he muttered, "but… it was just a glimpse…"

"Where?" he asked. Bodie pointed over to the spot. Out came the sonic as the man ran it up and down the wall where he'd seen his partner. He watched as he stuffed it back into one of those voluminous pockets.

"I love my sonic screwdriver," he said, "doesn't kill, but is very good at slowing down stuff. The Trickster has made this Limbo in a hurry. He's left a not-so subtle chink in the armour."

"I don't understand," The Doctor grinned at him.

"We're trapped in one bit of time, endlessly repeating the same loop over and over, right?" Bodie really had no idea but had the feeling that he should just smile and nod. "Doyle and Parker are in a different time, also repeating, so if we had something that would be able to let us hop over our second – minute – whatever – we would be in their time and be a lot more help."

"Great!" Bodie exclaimed. "Like what?" The Doctor turned.

"I think we need to speak to Mr Cowley."

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_The_ _Trickster glided along the abandoned corridor, feeling his strength returning. The Doctor's sonic had packed a punch. But he had the Doctor; trapped with this makeshift Limbo, along with the other man who had liberated his captive. There was some old man as well but the Trickster hadn't bothered with __him__. No, he was a low priority. He did not feel in the literal sense but it felt a burn inside. He had been outsmarted more than once by that infernal Doctor and he did not like it one bit but…_

_He would be dealt with in due time. Thinking about it made a glow appear somewhere within him. First he must isolate that impertinent CI5 agent before he could cause any more trouble._

_It was amusing to watch Doyle's attempts to escape him. He was astute enough to realize he was being chivvied as a sheepdog chivvies sheep but he was only human after all – there was no way to outrun him. The Trickster laughed silently to himself as he fended off the man's break for the locker room. It would be easier if Doyle didn't manage to keep himself out of reach – no doubt because of his uncomfortable experiences. Finally he forced him to duck inside Cowley's office. The Trickster snapped his fingers (oh he __did__ like theatrics) and the door locked. That was one problem solved; now for the next. The Doctor._

Doyle heard the click and knew that there was no point in trying the door. He was trapped. Again. He strode over to the desk and began pulling drawers open at random; hoping that Cowley stocked anything that would be useful in his breakout. Desperately he tugged on the lowest drawer. It opened smoothly, his face was suddenly illuminated by a strong green light.

"What the…"

* * *

Dun-dun-dunnn! What has Doyle found? What is the Doctor's plan? What is the Trickster going to do? Find out in the (hopefully) thrilling conclusion chapter - Promises Broken!


	12. Promises Broken

I'd just like to thank you if you have read all the way though my story and congratulate you in getting this far. Now that I've finished I would rather like reviews (If you don't mind).

Now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. What you've all been waiting for. The final chapter to The Loki Paradox. Please put your hands together, for the one - the only - Promises Broken!

* * *

CI5

The light spilled overflowed out of the drawer and spilled through the cracks in the wood – almost like water Doyle realised dimly – and he was expecting it to have some kind of physical form. He reached in and his fingers brushed something hard, his hand curling round it hopefully. Suddenly, for a split second, it burned.

"Mr Cowley!" The Doctor practically fell over himself as he stumbled through the door. Cowley looked up from his thoughts.

"Sir," Bodie's tone was politer than the Doctor's but still as hurried. He had no idea what the Doctor had in mind but after his other plans he was more than willing to try it, no matter how hare-brained it seemed.

"Do you have the Cube?"

"What Cube?"

"The one I gave you!" Cowley frowned and then nodded in understanding.

"Aye I do; it's in my desk," he stooped and slid open the bottom drawer, emerald suddenly pouring out. Both Cowley and Bodie stepped back in surprise; however the Doctor dipped his hand into the desk, neither missed the momentary flash of excitement that crossed through the brown eyes.

Doyle yanked his hand out with a gasp and stared in disbelief at his tingling palm. His head gave an unpleasant twinge and he saw a black and white image flash through his mind. It was gone so quickly he couldn't tell what it was.

The green shine faded to thin slits and now he could see that what had hurt him. The silvery box glowed innocently at him; the meandering lines crisscrossing the surface seemed filled with an emerald liquid. His heart was thumping heavily but not in fear. Quickly he checked through the room and found Cowley's coat crumpled untidily on the floor wrapped around the chair. A sudden lopsided grin skimmed across his face; Cowley would give him hell if he wrecked his coat! He extracted it carefully and then scrunched it around his hand. He wasn't going to be caught the same way twice.

The Doctor jerked his hand away from the Cube and sucked on his fingers.

"Ouch," Bodie looked over in alarm.

"What is it? Hot?" The Doctor shook his head.

"No it's cold!" He blew once more on his hand and took some white material out of his pocket. Using it as a shield he carefully lifted the Cube out and dropped it less carefully onto the desk. It steamed rather ominously. The glasses appeared out of one pocket, the screwdriver out of another and the Doctor set to work.

The coat had protected Doyle well from the heat of the cube and it now nestled in the folds of the material like a small animal. Doyle waved his hand over it; felt no warmth and then gingerly picked it up. The first thing that he noticed what how extraordinarily light it was. He traced the lines with his fingernail feeling his euphoria fading. What had made it a tool was now gone. He wondered if it had an on button or something. Still what was Cowley doing with something so obviously alien in his desk?

"We always wondered if he was human," he joked to thin air before quickly clamping down on himself. Not the time or the place he reminded himself before turning his mind back to his predicament. Behind him the light began to pulse… like a heartbeat.

"Ooh, that's new…" The Doctor stared at the Cube, his gaze flitting over every inch of it. The liquid had dulled slightly but it was now flowing around it in an endless fluxing stream. Bodie's eyebrows pulled down in his famous frown.

"What?" Cowley asked.

"Look," the streams of green grey liquid pulsated slowly around the Cube; the Doctor followed it with his hand, pontificating meaningless technobabble as he did so.

"Right!" He exclaimed, straightening up. "I think we've got the real one."

"The real one?" Cowley queried.

"If there are two times, then there are two Cubes, right?" Again the others resorted to smiling and nodding. "These Cubes aren't meant to be split like they have – they want to be one. So if we open it up we could use it as a gateway!"

"Then we could rescue Doyle!" Bodie cried.

"And Parker," Cowley reminded him.

"And Parker," Bodie admitted grudgingly.

"Hold on," said the Doctor. He grinned. "You know your R/T's?"

Doyle nearly jumped a foot in the air when the Doctor's voice crackled out of the box.

"Er… hello! Calling Ray Doyle, can you hear me?" Doyle spun about and snatched up the little box.

"Loud and clear, is Bodie ok?"

Bodie grabbed the device and grinned into it.

"Course I am sunshine! You?"

"Fine except I'm locked in Cowley's office. How are?..." The Doctor motioned and Bodie passed the Cube; it was his area of expertise.

"It's very, very complicated but to sum it up, what you're speaking through is a Cube."

"What's a Cube and why do you pronounce the capital C?"

"It's an alien Memory Box basically. It stores memories but that's not important. What's important is that what you've got in your hand is our key to getting into your time."

"I'm either a minute behind or in front of you." Doyle offered.

"Brilliant!" The Doctor began to fiddle with the Cube with his sonic. "Do you see the green-y grey-y liquid-y stuff?"

"Yeah?" Doyle's tone was getting more and more suspicious with every word the Doctor said.

"Keep an eye on it. If it turns red the Cube will…uh, actually just run. Fast." Doyle carefully put the Cube down. "I have a plan."

"Does it involve me getting blown up?" Doyle asked drily. The Doctor ignored him.

"Right, to time travel we need to get this going at eighty eight miles per hour…" he trailed off when he spotted the blank looks. "Back to the Future; 1985, go see it, you'll love it. I gave Spielberg the idea. Anyway," he huffed out, "ready?"

Parker panted around the corner; glancing over his shoulder. He shut his eyes and tried to block out the vision of Doyle being herded by the Trickster – the way the creature had flown at him when he'd tried to tell him something. He gulped and continued down the corridor, his mind replaying the last half an hour or so. A flash of black caught his eye and he whirled around. The Trickster stood regarding him. Parker felt a rush of fear, hot and acidic. The being seemed to smile but with the no-face it was impossible to tell.

"What did you do with Ray?" He demanded feebly.

"He is fine…for now. That may change however, depending on your cooperation-" The Trickster interrupted himself; suddenly raising his head like a dog tasting the air. Without a word it turned, smoothly, quickly, and disappeared. Parker blinked. He resumed his quick pace; not entirely satisfied that he was alone; wondering at the fate of the others.

The white blaze blinded Doyle for a split second before the trio collapsed on the floor. Doyle immediately extended a hand to his gruff boss.

"Don't mind me," Bodie remarked sarcastically as he heaved himself up. The Doctor was no longer the grinning Tigger that he'd been. He was now deadly serious. He snatched up the Cube and began to stride towards the door.

"Hey where are you going?" Doyle called.

"To find the Trickster before he finds us, it'll be easier for me to fight him in a place that I chose."

"And you're going alone?"

"Yes."

"That's stupid!" Bodie, ever the diplomat, quickly voiced his opinion. Doyle readily agreed, staring at the Doctor.

"I'm going alone. Nobody else needs to get hurt."

"Listen," Doyle interjected, "I have been kidnapped twice by a psycho thing, threatened, put in a coma and dragged through bloody time and space. I think it's about time I got my shot don't you?"

"We're coming whether you like it or not," The Doctor turned and looked at the pair.

"You're not coming." He said, pointing at Bodie.

"Why?"

"Because you've got a headache."

Both Cowley and Doyle swung round to stare at Bodie. He opened his mouth and closed it.

"So…?" He retorted in his typical Bodie-ish way.

"You know what it means." The Doctor said sadly. "Once the Trickster finds that opening he'll use it. You won't be safe." He then pointed at Doyle. "The best thing you can do is keep away from him." Cowley spoke up swiftly.

"It's a suicide mission going out alone man! Have some common sense!"

"Hey," the Doctor replied, "it's not the first time." Then he sprinted out the door. Bodie and Doyle didn't hesitate and rushed after him. Cowley was about to follow (albeit more slowly) when he spotted a glow emanating from underneath his coat. Curiously he flipped the material back and his eyes widened. He groped for it and as his hand clenched around the Cube something seared though his mind.

"No…"

The pair caught up with the Doctor outside what was formerly the main office. It opened out into a large space, and the Doctor had been busy pushing some of the tables away and sonicing the computer, muttering something about primitive technology and 'Level 5 Planets'. He glanced up and frowned.

"I thought I got rid of you lot," he said seriously but there was something like a faint half-grin twitching the corners of his mouth.

"No such luck!" Bodie grinned.

"If you're both going to stay then I'll need some help. Doyle, hand that over," Doyle bemusedly handed over a piece of silvery wire and the Doctor grabbed it, "Bodie, that," he stepped back. "There!" the partners stared at the cannibalized machine.

"What is it?" Doyle finally ventured.

"Er… a disruptor."

"A disruptor of what?"

"Hopefully, if it works, the Trickster. If it works. You lot don't have anything I need! C'mon you've only just got computers for goodness sake! Anyway I told you-"

"And we ignored you." Bodie pointed out. "No sense in you going in alone. It is completely stupid; as Doyle has demonstrated quite a few times."

"Hey!"

"It's true."

"No it's not. Name _one_ time."

"Ok, when you ran after that girl and got shot."

"That doesn't count."

"Why?"

"Cos you were following me,"

"Point," Bodie conceded, "taken."

The Doctor was staring at them, as many did when they engaged in their back-and-forth tennis repartees. But he was grinning.

"Humans!" he exclaimed happily. "One of the most argumentative and infuriating species in the known universe and still stick by each other," He laughed, "you are amazing, you really are."

CI5

Cowley uncurled his hand and let the Cube drop from his limp fingers, his mind filled with the horrific images. He shut his eyes tight and pinched his nose to try and ward them off. Suddenly the door smacked against the wall.

"Sir!" Parker's face was ashen and he flopped towards the desk.

"Aye?"

"The Trickster, sir… he said he had Ray…"

"He doesn't. Not now." Parker visibly relaxed.

"Thank god-"

"But he did. Because of you. Did you know what he was asking you? Did you know that you were dooming your partner when you said yes?" Parker drew himself up and looked his boss steadily in the eye.

"No. He told me I was going to die. He offered me a future. I never thought for one second-"

"No because you didn't think and were a damned fool Parker!" Cowley softened his voice. "He didn't give you a future…" he nodded to the Cube sitting forlornly on the floor. "That's the future. That's what you helped create. Chose a path and then don't let go. No matter what happens. Just don't let go." Cowley walked to the door. Without turning around he said; "good luck."

The Trickster's laugh cackled from behind the Doctor. Doyle's yell was enough warning to dive out of the way as the bony fingers grasped the air. He rolled and then sprang up shouting;

"NOW!" Bodie flicked the disruptor and a bright green light flared. Both he and Doyle grabbed the nozzle and swivelled it towards the hulking hooded mass of the Trickster. The light squared a direct hit – as a surge of excitement hit Bodie. They were going to get him! The creature squirmed in the fantastically bright beam like an octopuses' tentacle. But then the form straightened, seeming taller than before. One arm rose to point at the device accusingly. Something within it clicked. Somehow that was the sound of doom.

"Bodie! Doyle!" The Doctor's shout came from a long way away. Everything slowed down as Bodie saw purple electricity form around the creature's fist and at the same time heard another shout. Then a shove. The lightning rocketed towards him and suddenly he realised he was flat on the floor. Then the explosion rattled his body and he fleetingly slipped into unconsciousness.

The blackout only lasted a minute and the first thing that he was aware of was a horrible smell of burning. His eyes flew open. The device was nothing but a twisted, melted wreck. He couldn't see Doyle. _Shit. _He pulled himself to his feet; his gaze rapidly spinning about until he spotted him a few meters away. Doyle moved and then climbed to his knees. Alive. Good. But there was still danger. One he couldn't see-

"Leave him alone!" Doyle's angry shout made Bodie glance behind him. Straight into the Trickster's eyeless face. It loomed over him, featureless, ominous and dark. It whipped around at his partner's order and he could swear it smiled. Bodie was powerless to stop him. The Trickster's arm rose again.

Somehow Bodie thought that everything would slow as it had before. Maybe he would have time to do something. No, time zoomed instead. His mouth opened but no sound escaped but inside his head he was screaming. The bolt connected and Doyle was thrown by the sheer force of the blast; landing sprawled in an untidy heap, a crumpled, pale figure slumped motionlessly on his side. Then the Trickster grabbed Bodie's chin and something feeling much like an ice-cold knife sliced across his mind. He fell.

Doyle opened his eyes. Oh god he hurt! His eyelids fluttered closed again. Things had gone curiously quiet for him and he was about ready to just let go of consciousness. Suddenly he remembered. Bodie! _Oh god_, where was Bodie? He attempted to struggle up again when the terror gripped him. He couldn't move. He couldn't even turn his head or open his mouth. He was completely paralysed. Only his eyes responded. He was trapped where he had fallen. _Shit._ His view consisted mainly of the floor and a bit of the rest of the room. And he was_ so cold_. Suddenly the Doctor was beside him, feeling for a pulse.

The Trickster dropped Bodie onto the floor, his non-existent smile widening. The Doctor rose up to meet him, fury radiating off of him.

"You didn't need to do that!" The Trickster laughed.

"I think I did Doctor. They were just a nuisance. Now…" he swooped in front of the timelord, "what to do with them?" The Doctor glanced past him. They were both alive but what exactly was the Trickster going to do?

"You've got me. Let them go, they can't stop you." The Trickster didn't respond for a moment but then said;

"You didn't tell them anything. You make people into soldiers against things they don't understand so you can be a hero. So people admire you. You are worthless!" He paused and then seized the Doctor around the throat, lifting him into the air. The Doctor clawed at the hold, trying to free himself. "You know, I think it would be far more…_rewarding _to let you watch. I can think of so many ways to end lives…ways even the Daleks haven't thought of. Little, painful ways. I am gaining power, the chaos is so filling... thank you Doctor. I wonder, I wonder," he brought his face close to the Doctor's; turning him so he could see both of the agents, "who should I start with?"

"Put him down." The new voice surprised the Trickster. Still holding the Doctor he turned to find the source. Cowley stood rock steady in the doorway, menace clear in his voice. He was holding his revolver.

"Put him down, and Step. Away. From. My. Men."

CI5

The Trickster laughed.

"How pathetic," he said, "you old fool. You can't fire a gun in Limbo. What are you going to do?"

"Not him." Another new voice interrupted him. "Me." Parker stepped in front of Cowley, his eyes burning with rage and shame. He walked into the room, a green light speckling out of his clenched palm.

"You promised me a future." Parker took another step. "You promised me a life." The Trickster didn't move. "You lied." His words were spat. "Cowley is not the fool. I am. I have stolen life from so many in my selfish wish. How many more will die?" The Trickster remained silent. "HOW MANY!"

"Parker?..." Cowley ventured.

"You promised but you broke your deal, so I'm breaking mine. Let them go."

"No!"

"Yes! This is where you get yours Trickster!"

"NO!" The Cube connected with the Trickster, making him drop the Doctor. He retched and gasped; staring up at the writhing form above him. The green electricity spread along his body, contorting it and the Trickster let out a piercing screech.

"That's it!" The Doctor yelled at him. "You can't win against your own creation!" He stooped and swept up the empty box. "You can't even fight a broken promise! Game over! You lose!"

"No!"

"Back to the hell from which you came!"

Abruptly the Doctor saw. Everything began to run in reverse, getting quicker and quicker until he was adrift in a spinning rewind of the world. He watched the reality bend, break and collapse. All that would now never happen dying in one long whirlpool. He was left in the dark until…

He was standing in the corner of a dark room. A man with a gun was looking through the room, and the door opened. He didn't see what happened but the gunshot echoed through the years.

"Goodbye Parker."

The Doctor sat bolt upright in his TARDIS. He blinked a bit and then glanced around. He checked his limbs and then straightened his tie.

"Good, good, all here." He reassured himself. Then a frown crossed his face. Had it all been a dream? An emerald luminosity caught his eye. The Cube was lying on the floor. As he watched the glow faded. He smiled and picked it up, spinning it between his fingers.

"Oh!" he sprinted over to the controls and wrenched on the lever, grinning at the familiar sounds of the TARDIS.

CI5

"Excuse me?" Cowley rotated slowly to see a tall gangly man come running up to him. He sighed. It was late and all he wanted to do was to go home. "Are you Mr Cowley?"

"Aye," A square object was pushed into his hand. He frowned.

"Look after that please. It's important." The man disappeared around the corner before Cowley could ask any questions. He shrugged and then slipped the item into his pocket.

The Doctor slowed his pace slightly and stopped. Just to admire the night sky. Just to think how near this had come to being nothing. The sound of voices interrupted him. He looked to his right and smiled. Bodie and Doyle were walking out of the pub, cheerfully teasing each other. Doyle looked over and called;

"Nice night mate," Bodie echoed the statement.

"Yeah," the Doctor responded. He was about to turn away when a thought occurred to him. "Watch out for each other ok?"

"What?"

"Just… you know." He walked away.

"Who was that?" Bodie asked.

"No idea."

"Probably drunk,"

"You mean like us?"

"Yeah, anyway, this Maddie…"

The Doctor fingered the console carefully, watching the pair walk off his screen. Then he switched it off. He took off his coat and draped it over the hatstand. He had the whole universe to explore and other times and worlds to save. He threw the last switch.

_Vworp__ vworp __vworp__…._

Fin


End file.
